Jorge Posada was right about Yankees — and that’s not even the worst of it | Klapisch

The Yankees are saying goodbye to the worst month in franchise history, and it goes far beyond the shellacking they took from the Rays in the AL Division Series.

It's what's happened since that says the Yankees are due for a major overhaul.

Here's what the public relations disaster looks like to date:

*Franchise legends Derek Jeter , Paul O'Neill, CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez have all savaged the clubhouse culture.

*Owner Hal Steinbrenner took no responsibility for the latest October failure.

*Manager Aaron Boone , who has yet to win a championship in his nine years on the job, said, "I believe we can win with me at the helm. … I think I'm good at my job."

* Jorge Posada , a beloved member of the Core Four, believes he's no longer welcome at spring training .

*Brewers manager Pat Murphy, celebrating the franchise's first world championship on Wednesday, called the Yankees "horses---" and accused them of "playing for [themselves]."

If none of this embarrasses Steinbrenner, then he might as well go into hiding forever. The pointless once-a-year press conferences do nothing but enrage the fan base anyway.

My advice to Steinbrenner is to take the final step and stay away entirely.

But before Steinbrenner vanishes, he should take a closer look at the two most damaging indictments against the Yankees.

Steinbrenner can start by asking why an esteemed champion like Posada believes he's being snubbed.

Second, Steinbrenner should demand to know how the Yankees have fallen so far that a small-market manager like Murphy is comfortable trashing his team, moments after winning the World Series.

Are the Yankees that much of an industry joke? Have the people in charge allowed North America's most iconic franchise to turn into the MLB's laughingstock?

It wasn't that long ago that the Yankees were the industry's most prestigious club. As O'Neill told me earlier this month , "You're the New York Yankees. You're different because of the tradition and because of the name: New York Yankees ."

That history should still mean something — certainly to the current generation. That's why Posada's accusation, which he made during a New York Post podcast, was so shocking.

I don't believe Posada was referring to the front office or to Boone, who personally invites former Yankees to spring training. The franchise itself has made sure to honor Posada over the years. They've retired his No. 20, awarded him a plaque in Monument Park in 2015 and invited him to the 25 th anniversary ceremony for the 1998 team in 2023 and the Sept. 11 memorial event at Yankee Stadium last month.

I reached out to two former Yankees on Thursday, neither of whom wanted to discuss Posada's comments on the record. They consider the matter between the former catcher and the team's hierarchy, pointing out that a number of retired stars, including Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and Ron Guidry, come to spring training every year.

"If the older guys were a problem, then why are guys like Gator and Tino always in camp?" one former Yankee asked.

When Posada told the Post's Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, "I don't think they want me there," he was likely referring to the current players.

Although Posada never identified who "they" were, the disconnect between the generations is startling. Other than the uniform, Posada has nothing in common with the present-day Yankees.

He was, and still is, as intense as they are laid back. While Aaron Judge is respectful of ex-Yankees, even he would be considered too even-keeled for the '98 bunch.

I recall what one long-time member of the organization told me over the summer about the evolution of the clubhouse. He'd been around long enough to remember the Joe Torre era — back when "losing really pissed guys off. They hated it.

"But now, when you walk in the room, there's no difference between a good game or bad game," he said. "You would never know they'd just lost by the way they react."

It's possible Posada, as tightly wound as he was during his playing days, might be misreading the calm in the clubhouse. Posada could feel alienated in a room where there's no equivalent to Jeter, O'Neill or Mariano Rivera.

But that's the way baseball has changed in the quarter-century since Posada's prime. The message that trickles down from the front office doesn't demand domination, only emotional balance. Don't overreact.

During the playoffs, a longtime scout told me the best way to evaluate the Yankees is to look for the subtle signs of what drives them.

"Watch them between innings," the scout said. "How many of them run out to their position? How many of them walk? I was shocked."

This is the signature of a team that has no fear of its owner or manager. Steinbrenner's authority has no teeth. Boone's permissiveness enabled Jazz Chisholm's lack of hustle.

The belief around the sport is that the Yankees get away with this by intimidating mediocre teams. They've got the star power, the tradition, the aura, the iconic stadium. But the better clubs know that talent can only take you so far, especially in October.

That's what Murphy was talking about when he bear-hugged Jake Bauers after Game 5 of the World Series.

"You're going to be a rich (expletive)," Murphy told Bauers, who is eligible for free agency. "Just remember when you're on that horses--- Yankees team and you're all playing for yourselves; just remember this is the way we used to do it."

No opposing manager would ever have insulted Torre's Yankees that way, or even Joe Girardi's. I bet Murphy isn't the only manager who feels that way about Boone's Yankees.

It's up to Steinbrenner to ask himself when enough is enough.

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